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Topic: 4e and D20 Third Party Publishers (Read 10132 times)

We used to have a film critic here in Arizona who only gave high ratings when most of the rest of the country did and only to get his name on the advertisement. Any action/adventure film seemed to automatically lose a star just for existing as that type of film. If it was a Mercahnt/Ivory production or something similar or based on a classic book, it started a star ahead automatically.

I was afraid of that... I have the same issues with writers who continuously write glowing reviews of films. Come to think of it sports writers are the same. You feed us, we'll write nice things for you. (We're relatively cheap.)

True, but let's be honest. No one really expects impartiality or true journalist integrity out of the sports department on anything but the game synopsis. Not to lie or liable, yes. That's about it.

I would hope that my readers expect some impartiality or integrity... okay, maybe not since I cover mainly local sports. We can't get the facts wrong (scores and stats), but some will try screw around in some other areas (Like putting in quotes that are totally made up. I've seen or known at least four or five people get fired for that.) But it seems perfectly okay for the news department to quote unchecked anonymous sources. After being in or associated with three different newspapers, the sports departments tend to have a higher standard that we adhere to than some of the other departments.

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Work done by an officer's doppleganger in a parallel universe cannot be claimed as overtime.

I should clarify... I have never seen a sports section that wasn't highly opinionated and open about it, and I doubt such a thing exists or could exist outside of national media.

It really has been a week of putting my foot in my mouth... Sorry.

« Last Edit: July 23, 2008, 11:10:25 AM by Krensky »

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Right now you have no idea how lucky you are that I am not a sociopath. - A sign seen above my desk.There's no upside in screwing without things you can't explain. - Captain Roy MontgomeryPSN: Krensky_ Steam + GOG: Krensky

(3.5 sold better than expected, and they had to restock several times.)

Is the reason 4.0 is considered an underseller because they're trying to match the stellar success of 3.5?

I think that is part of it - and that they expected 3.5 to under perform, and instead it did very well. While they bought into the hype in regards to 4.0 and are sitting on cases that have not yet sold. Of course it doesn't help that the manager involved games, and was not impressed with 4.0..... It also seems that I overstated how well it was selling - currently about 2/3 the amount that 3.5 sold in the same time past release.

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Frankly, between the paint job and the complete lack of prep work done on the figure it, ummm, stinks.

Which, funnily enough, is entirely appropriate for a Beast of the Lord of Pestilence

Heh. I am currently drilling out the tentacles so that I can insert some brass wire to make them posable. The only good thing I have found about the material chosen.

Here is a publicity shot of our star -

He actually looks worse than this in person - the paint was just gaumed on haphazardly, and the flash is quite noticeable. Ah well, at least it allowed me to use the word 'gaumed'.

Well, ignoring the randomness... Are the D&D minis acceptable value for the money? I ask this because the resident grognard (in the original sense) complaining about the quality doesn't necessarily help.

Not that it really matters as I need Nazis and near future soldiers to pull minis into my SG-1 game or 18th century through Victorian figure for my Nephos game.

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Right now you have no idea how lucky you are that I am not a sociopath. - A sign seen above my desk.There's no upside in screwing without things you can't explain. - Captain Roy MontgomeryPSN: Krensky_ Steam + GOG: Krensky

Well, ignoring the randomness... Are the D&D minis acceptable value for the money? I ask this because the resident grognard (in the original sense) complaining about the quality doesn't necessarily help.

Not that it really matters as I need Nazis and near future soldiers to pull minis into my SG-1 game or 18th century through Victorian figure for my Nephos game.

Well, I don't think so - and I am willing to pay substantially more for unpainted pewter and plastic minis. Even as figures to repaint the lack of detail would drive me crazy(er). The material used is also inferior - a low impact plastic akin to that used for the plastic army men that come in bags at the toy store - soft and flexible, and quite likely to flake paint at the points of flex.

On the other hand the fact that I actually like to paint and kitbash minis kind of skews the result. (I have also sculpted a few minis of my own. There is a reason that you do not hear me boasting about this - the results were mixed. Some were bad, the rest were horrible )

The player in my game who wants me to rescue the, ummm, thing, paid more than $20 to get the box it was in, and considered himself lucky to get the figure he wanted on the first try (he was actually planning on trading for it). He is paying me another $20 on top of that to get a better looking figure out of it. He thinks that it is worth it.

On the other hand, the fact that he is paying more than $40 for the one figure he wanted kind of skews the result. If there is an active trading community then you might be able to trade for what you want, medieval fantasy wise. (Incidentally, he also paid me a considerable amount to super detail his Colossal Red Dragon - he is willing to pay well for better paint jobs than what Wizards supplies. The detailing included reworking the scales, horns, and spike for sharper detail, and adding terrain to the base.)

He was willing to let me have the rest of the figures from the box, and I told him to give them to some of the kids of the other players instead - I like minis, I like painting minis, and these are about the same quality as the Minifigs of the early seventies. Not very detailed, the detail rounded rather than sharp, and the scale is somewhat smaller than current trends - closer to true 25mm scale than to the 28mm that has become customary. So I can honestly say that I would not keep them even if they were offered to me for free.

For Victorian figures I have been happy with Blue Moon - in particular their Civilians box set. They also make a line of 18th century Americana figures. The game that they are intended for is kind of fun too - sort of like a simplified Mordheim or Necromunda.

The Auld Grump, this story has no moral.This story has no end.This story only goes to show,That there ain't no good in men....

*EDIT* The Blue Moon minis are unpainted, and not super detailed - quick fun figures for painting, not museum quality historic representations. And they are made from LEAD - not this mamby pamby modern day pewter. The kind of miniatures that made old school gamers what they are today! Sweet, easy to chew and brain damaging.

Well, ignoring the randomness... Are the D&D minis acceptable value for the money? I ask this because the resident grognard (in the original sense) complaining about the quality doesn't necessarily help.

Not that it really matters as I need Nazis and near future soldiers to pull minis into my SG-1 game or 18th century through Victorian figure for my Nephos game.

Actually, for those of us who don't have the time to paint minis and/or aren't great painters, the value is great. Also due to its popularity, the randomness isn't much of a problem because you will most likely find someone to trade with or find the figs you are looking for on Ebay.

Actually, for those of us who don't have the time to paint minis and/or aren't great painters, the value is great.

Or who really have better things to do with their time. Every once in a while, I'll pick up a pack of minis, but generally, its the first thing to leave my budget. Especially considering I can't be arsed to go trading for the figs I really want.